From August 26 to 29, 2024, the final phase of sward collection and transport was completed, marking a crucial step in the establishment of the common garden, where the experimental research will take place. This time, the vegetation was collected from the snow-bed habitats of the Pale di San Martino (TN), in the heart of the Dolomites, at an altitude of approximately 2,600 meters.

The Field Team

The mission was carried out by Professor Thomas Abeli and Dr. Martina Tarascio from the University of Pavia, alongside Professor Renato Gerdol and Professor Lisa Brancaleoni from the University of Ferrara, partner in the PHOTOPLANT project.

Field Activities

The mission was divided into two main phases.

First, the team collected and numbered the vegetation swards, following the same protocol previously applied in Svalbard. Once again, the selected vegetation belongs to snow-bed communities, but this time of alpine origin. Among the key species collected were Salix herbacea, Bistorta vivipara, and Silene acaulis. After transportation to the valley, each swardwas carefully characterized, and all plant species present were identified.

The second phase focused on the transportation of swards to the Bruno Peyronel Alpine Botanical Garden, the designated common garden site, where the experiments will be conducted. As a precautionary measure, flowers and seeds were removed to prevent potential dispersal and genetic contamination of surrounding plant populations. The newly collected alpine swards were placed next to the arctic ones transported during the previous mission, creating a unique opportunity for comparative research.

To protect the plants from grazing herbivores that roam the garden during this season, a simple temporary fence was installed.

Now that all swards have been successfully relocated, the next step is to set up the experimental design and begin data collection. All that’s left to do is wait for the snow to melt in spring!